Nissan 350z Smoke Colored Headlight Film Overlays 2003-2008 on 2040-parts.com

Better Place Electric Car visitor centre opens

Better Place have opened a visitor centre in Israel to demonstrate their battery swap technology for electric cars Last October we wrote about a start-up company in Israel – Better Place – that had a new way forward for electric cars by taking the purchase of battery packs out of the equation, and was developing a system for ‘Battery Swap’ stations where electric car owners could drive in and swap their battery pack for a fully-charged one in a few minutes. That story first brought to our attention our favourite quote of last year – by Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn – who said “A hybrid is like a mermaid: if you want a fish, you get a woman; if you want a woman, you get a fish.” Which probably explained why Nissan – and its partner Renault – got involved with Better Place. Better Place aims to address the main concerns of electric car drivers by making the battery packs in electric cars ‘swappable’.

Tokyo motor show 2009: news, reviews, live blogs

Welcome to CAR Online's coverage of the 2009 Tokyo motor show. Editor Phil McNamara (PM) and staff writer Ben Pulman (BP) have been reporting live from the Makuhari Messe on the 41st Tokyo car show – and you can keep up to date with all the news, photos and reviews right here. Use our Twitter-powered blog and galleries to catch up with all the Tokyo motor show news, or click on the links below to see the separate news articles and galleries. Click here to read Phil McNamara's review of the 2009 Tokyo motor show And if you want to see Ben Pulman, our staff writer, looking stupid, check out his reviews of Honda's mad U3-X electric unicycle and the company's crazy walking assist devices.

Volkswagen buys stake in Suzuki

Volkswagen will buy nearly 20 percent of Suzuki for $2.5 billion in a deal poised to continue VW's ambitious growth plans and bolster its global product offerings. The companies announced the agreement on Wednesday, and it could close in January. The deal allows VW to draw on Suzuki's small-car capabilities and strong position in India.